The "Southern" on the move. Rio Grande Southern Locomotives #20 and 455 stomp upgrade at the top of the serpentine curve known as "The Whiplash" (MP 296.8), hauling a period freight on the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, during an August of 2021 photo shoot organized by Trains Magazine.
While not officially a participant in the railroad's "Victorian Iron Horse Roundup" event, RGS #20 was built in 1899, and did qualify as a "Victorian" locomotive. She was also hot most of the time during the event, but her first actually excursion on the C&TS occurred two days after the event officially ended. The second locomotive pictured in this doubleheader was actually the D&RGW K-27 #463, which was repainted as her long-scrapped sister #455, complete with the RGS "sunrise" herald on the tender. Both the 455 and 463 did serve on the RGS at various times, as the railroad was controlled by the Denver & Rio Grande Western for much of its existence.
